22 Responses to “Rep. Dennis Kucinich reads his impeachment resolution against George W. Bush on the floor of the House yesterday”

1. kayinmaine
   June 10th, 2008 @ 8:23 am

   Think Progress posted the video of Kucinich! Woohoo! Here it is…

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDZ8seg4Nr4

   Okay, going to work.

2. Uncle Fester Lurks
   June 10th, 2008 @ 10:47 am

   Sadly Pelosi or Hoyer will table it. They are as corrupt and pathetic as Bush in my opinion.

3. steph
   June 10th, 2008 @ 12:23 pm

   I don’t agree because as much as I would like to see Bush and Cheney impeached and given the chair, it’s not going to happen. Impeachment was an effective tool in England to remove a King’s ministers if he angered Parliament, it was never supposed to be used as a tool to remove the King. King Charles I was only impeached because after several of his ministers were impeached he still refused to listen to Parliament. Whilst technically it can be used to impeach the President, it never has, and there have been some God awful Presidents. It’s not a very effective tool for that.

   But Congress does have leverage over Bush, they could cut his balls off by summoning key figures in the executive and force them to answer awkward questions – Cheney could effectively be put on trial, without being impeached at the end of it.

4. gage
   June 10th, 2008 @ 1:37 pm

   The latter part of your post, Steph, is what I want, and an impeachment hearing could make that possible. It won’t ultimately matter whether there is enough time or if bush could actually be removed from office. bill Clinton wasn’t removed but the impeachment hearings sealed his fate, and, possibly, Hillary’s as well. I want an impeachment hearing for two reasons: One, and,( especially important), I want light shed publicly on the build-up to the invasion of Iraq — because I don’t want the public to trust bush (or McClone) on Iran; two, the proceedings could force testimony that’d give way to civil suits against a number of top dogs in the administration — not criminal investigations, (which I believe are coming anyway), but civil. Hit them where they live, in their pocketbooks. I’d feel vindicated if only cheney went to jail and bush permanently disgraced. Also, I want to eliminate the possibility of anyone named bush (jeb) of ever feasibly seeking the office again.

   How’s the weather in London? I have a friend visiting there today.

5. gage
   June 10th, 2008 @ 1:37 pm

   The latter part of your post, Steph, is what I want, and an impeachment hearing could make that possible. It won’t ultimately matter whether there is enough time or if bush could actually be removed from office. bill Clinton wasn’t removed but the impeachment hearings sealed his fate, and, possibly, Hillary’s as well. I want an impeachment hearing for two reasons: One, and,( especially important), I want light shed publicly on the build-up to the invasion of Iraq — because I don’t want the public to trust bush (or McClone) on Iran; two, the proceedings could force testimony that’d give way to civil suits against a number of top dogs in the administration — not criminal investigations, (which I believe are coming anyway), but civil. Hit them where they live, in their pocketbooks. I’d feel vindicated if only cheney went to jail and bush permanently disgraced. Also, I want to eliminate the possibility of anyone named bush (jeb) of ever feasibly seeking the office again.

   How’s the weather in London? I have a friend visiting there today.

6. gage
   June 10th, 2008 @ 2:58 pm

   Twice is nice.

7. Homer_J
   June 10th, 2008 @ 6:43 pm

   “But Congress does have leverage over Bush, they could cut his balls off by summoning key figures in the executive and force them to answer awkward questions – Cheney could effectively be put on trial, without being impeached at the end of it”.

   News-flash – Congress does subpoena former and current key members of the executive, they just choose not to show up or are “off the record” when they do. The Dems talk tough but almost never back what they say with action. I have yet to understand why they’re so afraid of Mr “24%” or whatever his rating is now.

8. kayinmaine
   June 10th, 2008 @ 6:46 pm

   Yep, I’d be happy with putting these assholes under oath and them taking questions just to watch them squirm and pleading the 5th! I’m serious. Impeachment (removal from office) probably won’t happen, but man, if it did, the nation (and the world) would party their asses off! I’d look forward to that too.

   I hope Dennis Kucinich reads his impeachment resolutions of George Bush & Dick Cheney ever week until election time. That too would make me happy!

9. kayinmaine
   June 10th, 2008 @ 6:49 pm

   They’ve (the Bush White House past & present) already proven to Americans they’re guilty of many crimes because they’re always invoking “executive privilege” whenever they’re asked to explain their actions.

10. gage
    June 10th, 2008 @ 7:01 pm

    Homer J, I agree. The Dems with few exceptions have performed like overindulgent parents who back down everytime the child throws a temper tantrum. They have every right to slap a contempt of Congress citation on rove and miers, for instance, and they ain’t doing doodly. Reminiscent of “with friends like these, who needs enemies.” Hopefully, the lot of them have learned a little something watching Hillary bite the dust.

    Up the Revolution!

11. kayinmaine
    June 10th, 2008 @ 7:18 pm

    I just read on FireDogLake that Dennis Kucinich may be reading the impeachment resolution again tonight! I hope he does it everyday.

12. kayinmaine
    June 10th, 2008 @ 7:22 pm

    But Gage? What have the people done? We’ve not voted these assholes out that aren’t doing the will of the people. Nope. They keep getting reelected! Also, what have the hearings brought about? They have to have something to go on to move forth and with the assholes in the White House saying “executive privilege” all the time or not showing up to testify at all is also stalling the whole process. I don’t know what to do at this point, but if Kucinich, Conyers, and others keep at it, that’s good enough for me.

    It’s frustrating. I agree.

13. kayinmaine
    June 10th, 2008 @ 8:26 pm

    John ASSvosis of AmericaSNOBS says that Dennis Kucinich is just being silly for taking 5 hours to read the impeachment charges against George Bush. According to Johnny, we should just be happy that HE’S around. Spit.

    http://www.americablog.com/2008/06/dennis-kucinich-and-impeachment.html

    Johnny, a former republican, Log Cabin styled gay guy, fake Democrat/liberal/progressives and who backstabs everyone he comes in contact with, is continuing to show his readers how much of a fool/fraud/Former Hillary Clinton Supporter/ he is!

    Dennis Kucinich has class and cares about the Constitution and the American people. Johnny Foo Foo ASSvosis does not.

14. Homer_J
    June 10th, 2008 @ 8:54 pm

    They do have some tools at their disposal, they just refuse to use them. For example, ever hear of the ? The Congress has the authority to hand him/her arrest warrants for any one they see fit to be taken in for questioning/etc. The basement of Congress actually has jail cells for this very purpose. They have every legal right to haul in anyone who doesn’t answer to a subpoena.

    Remember in 2006 when the Dems won a majority. I distinctly remember Pelosi raving about finally having subpoena power. But for what now? The Executive is not the only brach of government, but the current Congress makes is seem that way.

15. Homer_J
    June 10th, 2008 @ 8:55 pm

    Sorry, screwed up my link above. I’m referencing the Sergeant at Arms.

16. Uncle Fester Lurks
    June 10th, 2008 @ 10:58 pm

    Kay we all know why Johnny Assvosis posted a thread against Kucinich. He is very, very desperate for traffic these days as his blog is dying and he knew if he posted a thread mocking Kucinich it would bring lots of traffic to his horseshit blog. I actually was able to comment over there but of course my comments didn’t last very long. Gee I wonder if he will delete the whole thread and hide it in his archives?

17. gage
    June 11th, 2008 @ 4:00 am

    Kay, don’t believe Conyers has done shit. He hasn’t. He’s had the bill to impeach cheney tabled for a year now and he never moved it. And Pelosi has strong-armed the House Dems to ignore it. What do we do? Not sure. Tarring and feathering comes to mind.

18. steph
    June 11th, 2008 @ 6:55 am

    Homer, that’s what I said: Congress doesn’t use it power of scrutiny and subpoena effectively. Congress a duty to scrutinise the Bush administration but key figures in the Bush administration haven’t been intensely questioned over a period of months, like they ought to have been. Congress could have Rice and Cheney before them from now until well into the next Presidency – they could even haul Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney, and Elizabeth Cheney in for questioning.

    My point is that it isn’t impeaching the President or nothing. Impeachment is the last resort but Congress isn’t even using the first resort. Dennis Kucinich is making a symbolic gesture, fair enough, but that’s all it is. I think it’s time for a bit more than that.

19. kayinmaine
    June 11th, 2008 @ 7:00 am

    “Executive privilege” is what the cowards of the Bush Regime keep using Steph. If I’m not mistaken, this issue is being taken up in the courts (to find out if ‘executive privilege’ can be used by most of them). Lots of stalling on the part of the Bush Regime which is a tell-tale sign they have a lot to cover up!

    Kucinich’s “gesture” is making everyone nervous. Good. As it should. He will be the only Democrat in the US House of Representatives in the future who stood up for the Constitution and the American people. If the rest of the House is fine with that, then fine. They’ll have to explain for the rest of their lives why they felt the rule of law was less important than impeaching the previous president for lying about a blow job.

20. kayinmaine
    June 11th, 2008 @ 7:01 am

    You guys can give up. I won’t. Even if nothing comes of it, I’d like to be on record as supporting impeachment anyways. Just the way I am.

21. steph
    June 11th, 2008 @ 10:00 am

    Kay, I can see the emotional appeal of what he is doing and I wish to God he could pull it off. I also think gesture politics can be useful but it can also be counterproductive, especially when it distracts attention from winnable battles.

    Also, what if McCain gets in? Do the Democrats wait for him to do something impeachable and make the same idle threats that will come to nothing or do they use their powers effectively and hold his administration to account, the way the Republicans did Clinton?

    They tried to impeach Blair in Westminster, it didn’t achieve anything, it actually strengthened him. if Kucinich can’t deliver – what’s the point? How will it stop McCain from continuing where Bush left off? I think it stands more chance of emboldening him because it proves he’s untouchable. I’m certainly not suggesting that Congress and the public should do nothing.

22. DJ Allyn
    June 12th, 2008 @ 1:26 am

    It’s not UP to the cowards in congress to make this happen, it’s up to US. As in a blitz of phone calls from people in their DISTRICT. I interviewed MY congressman a couple weeks before Kucinich’s LAST resolution about cheney and he was emphatic that he wouldn’t support the resolution. THEN that fateful day he voted to NOT table, and then to move it to committee. I was stunned. The next day I called his chief of staff in DC and asked him why the change.Apparently, his office had received about eight hundred calls from folks in our district respectfully requesting that he support the resolution. Despite the fact that he is safer in that seat than he was in his mother’s womb, the calls had the desired effect. CALL YOUR REP NOW, and encourage others to do the same.
    BTW, (this is Frank) it’s my understanding that IF there is an active impeachment in progress at the end of this administration, bush can’t pardon ANYone involved. I know it’s a stretch, and pelosi has been a chump for bush, but that timing COULD be THE most important strategy. Remember, the cheney thing is NOT dead, it’s still in the judiciary committee.